Today's News

It's not just the rivers, lakes and springs that are affected by the recent drought in Levy County. The lack of rain is also expected to exacerbate the spread of wildfire this season.
Ludie Bond, wildfire mitigations specialist with the Florida Forest Service, said wildfire is always an issue in the state, though January typically marks the beginning of a more active season.
"We want citizens to use caution," she said. "It's so dry and so windy right now that a fire could get away from someone very quickly."

With a line of fans standing outside the gym door and a fierce rivalry between two area teams, it was no surprise that emotions boiled over in a recent Chiefland basketball game. It was more surprising how easily it was contained.
A brawl broke out in the third quarter of Chiefland High School boys varsity team’s home game against Dixie County on Jan. 12. No one was injured in the ruckus although CHS player Deshawn Rolland was punched in the head by an unidentified female from the bleachers, said Chiefland JV coach Cody Montgomery.

Friday the 13th.
Darkness falls on a secluded area far from prying eyes and the glare of city lights.
In the darkness, members of the Williston Police Department, Chiefland Police Department and Levy County Sheriff’s Department marshal their forces.
The darkness is occasionally interrupted by the glare of a laptop screen or cell phone.
The reason for the clandestine meeting – area law enforcement members are preparing to raid a suspected “gambling house” in East Williston where drug dealing has already been confirmed.

The year 1912 was a busy one for the United States and for the rest of the world. Across the globe, the Republic of China was formed, and the countries of Serbia, Greece, Montenegro and Bulgaria were pitted against the Ottoman empire in the First Balkan War.

Recycling in Chiefland has been such a success in its first year that Waste Pro officials would like businesses to know they can help them recycle too.
Dana Miller, who does municipal marketing for the waste hauler, told the Chiefland Rotary Club on Jan. 11, that her firm can work with businesses to show how recycling can benefit the business. "We can work it where it's reducing your cost," Miller said. "We can come into your business and customize it."

County operations could enter the 21st Century if the Levy County Commission accomplishes everything on the priority list it informally adopted during a workshop on Tuesday.
Each commissioner presented a list of the priorities for the coming year and then spoke about what they wanted accomplished. After 90 minutes they agreed to focus on technology improvements, insurance coverage for county employees, a special events permit ordinance, local preference ordinance in purchasing, centralized purchasing, asset management and time clocks for county employees.

If you worked in 2011 and your household made less than $50,000, United Way of North Central Florida wants to do your taxes for free.
It’s part of a combined effort with the IRS to help low to moderate-income working people keep more of their refund and not pay for income tax services.
"This is money that is owed to the working-class and middle-class citizens of our community," said Debbie Mason, president and CEO of United Way of North Central Florida. "They just need to know about it to take advantage of it."

In response to two deaths involving riders on ATVs (all-terrain vehicles) the Levy County Sheriff's Office has issued a reminder about laws governing the vehicles' use and offered some safety tips to prevent users from being a victim of an ATV accident.
In 2006 the Florida Legislature passed a law allowing ATV's to be operated on any public roads or streets during the daytime hours on an unpaved roadway where the posted speed limit is less than 35 miles per hour by a licensed driver.

A second man sought in the Dec. 27 theft of an air conditioner that was captured on the owner's game camera was arrested on Wednesday by Levy County Sheriff's Deputy Scott Stancil.
Raymond Shiver, 26, of Morriston, joins his brother Alexander Matthew Shiver, 23, at the Levy County Jail on charges of grand theft. The elder Shiver also faces a charge of resisting arrest without violence after he fled on foot from Stancil during a traffic stop in Williston.